PINK FAMILY. 169 



Filiform annuals. 



Sepals and petals 5; herbage nearly glabrous 1. S. oceidentalis. 



Sepals 4; petals commonly none; herbage glandular-pubescent 



Succulent perennial; flowers 5-merous s, s'. erassicavlis. 



1. S. oceidentalis "Wats.^ Inconspicuous annual with almost 

 capillary stems, branching at the base, erect, 2 to 5 in. high; slightly 

 hispidulous-glandular on the calyx and upper portion of pedicel, 

 otherwise glabrous; upper leaves broadly subulate, acute, 2 to 3 lines 

 long, the lower filiform-linear, 3 to 6 lines long; pedicels 3 to 6 lines 

 long; calyx and corolla 5-merous; sepals f line long, the petals nearly 

 as long; calyx rounded at the base; stamens 3 to 10; capsule IJ lines 

 in length. 



Not uncommon but obscure and mostly in low ground: San Joaquin 

 and Sacramento Valleys; Napa Valley; southward to Southern Cali- 

 fornia. Apr.-May. 



2. S. apetala Ard. Similar to the preceding but usually glandular- 

 pubescent; leaves linear-subulate, acute, IJ to 3 lines long; calyx 

 4-parted; petals 4, minute and obovate, or commonly none. 



Introduced. North Berkeley, Davy. 



3 S. crassicaulis Wats. Smooth perennial, the stems stoutish 

 and succulent, branching, IJ to 5 in. long, decumbent; leaves linear, 

 thickish, 2 to 9 lines long, the basal forming a rosette, the cauline 

 connate by broad scarious membranes; flowers erect or nodding; petals 

 and sepals subequal, IJ lines in length; capsule ovate, little exserted 

 from the fruiting calyx. 



Beaches along the coast from Monterey to Tomales Bay. Marin Co. 

 June. 



8. TISSA Adans. Sand SptrBRT. 



Low herbs, usually of alkaline plains, borders of salt- marshes, or 

 maritime. Leaves linear or subulate-filiform, semi-terete, with scari- 

 ous stipules. Sepals 5. Petals 5, purplish or white, entire. Stamens 

 commonly 10. Styles 3, rarely 5. Capsule 8-valved. Seeds often 

 wing-margined. Embryo annular. (Origin of name not known.) 



Erect or ascending, more or less succulent perennials with fusiform fleshy roots, 



1. T. macrotheca. 

 Prostrate perennials. 

 Stems long and somewhat straggling, fi-om a matted or tufted center, flowering 



from the middle to the ends of the branches 2. T. rubra 



yax.perenna'M, 

 Plants matted; flowers mostly at the ends of the branches . .3. T. Gl&ieUinrii. 

 Nearly or quite erect annuals 4. r. saiina. 



1. T. macrotheca (Hornem.) Britt. Stems stout, 7 to 12 in. high, 

 erect or ascending from the short, often branched, woody crown of a 

 very thick and fleshy taproot; herbage deep green and viscid- 

 pubescent; leaves narrowly linear, 1 to IJ in. long; pedicels 3 to 6 

 lines long; sepals 3 to 4 lines long, scarious-margined; petals as long, 

 pink; capsule about equaling calyx; seeds with or without a wing, 

 even in the same capsule. 



Sandy borders of salt marshes, common about San Francisco Bay. 



